SiC thin films: Nanosecond pulsed laser-deposition via Digital Twin approach and atom probe tomography characterizations

Abstract

This research presents the synthesis of silicon carbide (SiC) thin films using a nanosecond pulsed laser deposition method, combined with a Level -2 Digital Twin approach for real-time process optimization. Various target precursors were employed to fabricate SiC thin films, and the influence of these precursors on the material properties was investigated. The Digital Twin model provided dynamic real-time feedback, allowing precise control over the deposition parameters, improving consistency and identical windows throughout. Such deposited thin film exhibited an average surface roughness (Ra) and nanoindentation hardness measured in the range of 2 nm to 5 nm and range of 32 to 41 GPa for the SiC thin film respectively. Transmission Electron Microscopic (TEM) characterisations on lamellar thin film specimens revealed 558.9 ± 10 nm and 593.62 ± 10 nm thick film deposition for Spark Plasma Sintered (SPS) and Reaction Bonded (RB) SiC thin films followed by average of Si ∼ 50 at. %, C ∼ 48. at. % with the traces of O ∼ 0.43 at.% elemental composition distributions for both films analysed through Atom Probe Tomography (APT) reconstructions and reveals the impurities concentrations aluminium (Al), Nitrogen (N), Vanadium (V) & Potassium (P) in both films with additional B at.% elements in reaction bonded SiC alone. Further, the impact of laser irradiation was witnessed in terms of change in resistance values attributed to laser assist activation of inherited and substitutional impurities in thin films with a scale of respective impurity concentrations.